The old saying goes “find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life!” But what about the jobs (which are important) that can be mundane and not particularly fulfilling?
There are many games available that provide an opportunity for people to try out different jobs, whilst making the experience fun and enjoyable. This list will explore the games which transform potentially boring jobs into something more fun and entertaining.
10 PSSST
Released in 1983 by legendary British developer Rare under the Ultimate: Play The Game brand, PSSST lets players take control over Robbie The Robot. Robbie works in a garden and the aim of the game is to stop the various bugs and creepy crawlies from eating the plant which is growing in the center of the screen.
Although initially simple with Robbie having to fend off slow-moving slugs, things soon become more difficult with increasingly fast-moving insects trying to take a chunk out of the plant. To make matters more complicated, different bug sprays need to be used against specific creatures. Rare went on to make some incredible games, many of which were featured on Rare Replay. PSSST is a very early indication of the high quality of their work, and a sign of the fun games they went on to make for players across the world.
9 Paperboy
A Paperboy’s life can be a dangerous one. For a job that pays so little, there are multiple dangers including heavy traffic, dogs, and nasty residents. At least that is what Atari would have people believe in their 1984 arcade game.
Like the best games, Paperboy is simple in its concept, but difficult to master. Once the player has delivered the quota of papers, there is an obstacle course to tackle for extra points. Special mention should be made for the initiative arcade version of Paperboy which featured handlebars as the controller.
8 Moving Out
Couch Co-Op games have become increasingly popular amongst players in recent years. Overcooked, Lovers In a Dangerous Space-Time, and the excellent It Takes Two have encouraged people to work together to succeed with their goals. Moving Out offers another cooperative experience, with the aim being to successfully remove items from a building before time runs out.
Moving Out features a quirky style which is perfectly demonstrated by the player’s job title. As a Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technician, or F.A.R.T for short, players must work together to remove increasingly difficult items from different dangerous environments. Communication is key or the simple task of moving a corner couch into a removal truck could cause mayhem for players who aren’t in sync with each other in this fun game.
7 Power Wash Simulator
The First-Person Shooter (FPS) genre has become a huge part of the video game world and accounts for many millions of dollars in a multi-billion-dollar industry. Their popularity sometimes attracts criticism due to the graphic nature of these games and the portrayal of killing and destruction.
So, what better way to experience an FPS and put those twitch reaction skills to good use with something a little more relaxing and a lot less destructive with Power Wash Simulator? Players can share their cleaning satisfaction with others as the game features an online Co-Op mode for up to 6 players.
6 Five Nights At Freddy’s
Being a security guard can be a particularly boring job, that is unless your role includes keeping an eye on murderous animatronic characters from Five Nights At Freddy’s.
This YouTube sensation gained popularity upon its release in 2014 and has spawned numerous sequels and spin-off titles. Although it can be picked up relatively cheaply these days, Five Nights At Freddy’s isn’t recommended for the faint of heart.
5 Lawn Mower Simulator
Lawn Mower Simulator could easily be mistaken as a very simple game and potentially boring, much like the real-life task. However, there is a surprising amount of depth to this household chore. Firstly players must decide on what type of mower to help build up their gardening business empire. Once that has been done, it’s time to take a job and get mowing.
As the business grows, players can buy more mowers and hire staff to send out on jobs. The mowing itself is satisfying giving the player the chance to play in the first or third person. Lawn Mower Simulator is the perfect game to play whilst listening to music or a podcast. There is additional Ancient Britain and Dino Safari DLC available which add new locations for players to try.
4 Crazy Taxi
A classic Sega Dreamcast game, Crazy Taxi offers players the chance to earn money by collecting fares and taking people to their destination. The Sega Dreamcast version of Crazy Taxi expanded on the arcade by providing a crazy box mode which included different mini-games.
Everything about Crazy Taxi is loud and fun, down to the colorful graphics, fast-paced, easy-to-pick-up, hard-to-put-down gameplay. Crazy Taxi can still be experienced by gamers on modern consoles. It’s just a shame the original soundtrack isn’t included which featured awesome tunes from The Offspring and Bad Religion.
3 Job Simulator
A list featuring entertaining games based on boring real-life jobs wouldn’t be complete without Job Simulator. Players have the opportunity to take part in different work environments including Store Clerk, Auto Mechanic, Office Worker, and Gourmet Chef. Each role is filled with a mixture of standard realistic tasks, to more off-the-wall jobs for comical effect.
Like a lot of VR games, the fun comes from interacting with the environment and doing things that people wouldn’t be able to get away with in real life. Job Simulator performed well enough, which resulted in the sequel Vacation Simulator being released in 2019.
2 Papers Please
Checking passports could possibly be the most boring job ever, but Papers Please manages to elevate this simple task into something more memorable. The player takes the role of an immigration officer in a fictional eastern bloc country. The job is a simple one, check papers and decide whether people should be allowed or denied access into the country.
Moral choices are a big part of Papers Please. Do you help someone make their life a little better, but risk defying your strict employers, or send them off to an uncertain future? There are other risks involved where placing faith and trust in someone could result in unknowingly allowing a terrorist attack to take place. Multiple endings provide players with replayability in this fascinating experience.
1 Bus Simulator 21
There is a multitude of racing games available with either real-life or futuristic settings, so why on earth would players choose to check out Bus Simulator 21 instead of experiencing something a bit more fast-paced? One of the main reasons is because Bus Simulator 21 offers a huge open world to explore featuring places in the USA and Europe.
Bus Simulator 21 can be played in single or multiplayer mode and has 30 buses to get to grips with. Each of these can also be customized to suit the player and their style. Rounding off this impressive array of options is dynamic weather effects and a day-night cycle.
